Welcome to Retail Checks and Balances, a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the bustling world of commerce and culinary delights to help you grow your business and win. Join us as we explore the fascinating stories, trends, and challenges that shape the retail and hospitality industry, from cozy corner cafes to sprawling shopping malls and everything in between. And now, here's your host, Kevin Welcome back to Retail Checks and Balances. Today we want to talk about celebrating your anniversary as a business, as when it comes to restaurants, supermarkets, any sort of retail business. you know, let's talk about, you know, whether it's year one or year 50 or year 100, an anniversary is more than just a number. It's a chance to say thank you, deepen the loyalty, generate that energy. So let's jump in. You know, why anniversaries matter? Anniversaries build emotional connections. They provide perfect moment to reflect, share history, and show appreciation. You know, from a marketing angle, they're also a great excuse to drive for traffic and sales. You don't just celebrate being open, you celebrate staying relevant, loved, and the localization of your business. you know, from a restaurant perspective, you know, they bring out special meals and anniversary menu, you know, limited time. So people get a sense of, you know, let me get into this, you know, discount days, you know, throwback pricing, you know, meals at 1989, you know, things like that. Customer appreciation by having, you know, at night live music giveaways and shout outs to loyal customers. And then, you know, engaging storytelling that builds brand heritage, whether on social media or some sort of video or some sort of celebration within the restaurant. From a supermarket perspective, a lot of in-store festivities, samples, contests, raffles, you know, a birthday cake, at the bakery counter, giving customers a chance to feel that, you know, that honor of being in the presence of a great organization. You know, community give back, donating a percentage of sales to local food banks or schools or whatever the case is. And, you know, loyalty perks, bringing bonus points, surprise gifts or coupons for loyal customers. And of course, you got to collaborate with your vendors, you know, co-branding deals with popular product brands. And using email and social media campaigns to come down to the big day creates that big anticipation or build it, we'll say. Having a creative anniversary also gives you the opportunity to, you know, have fabulous camping ideas. You know, share memory campaign, customers post their favorite moments at your business, you know, a time capsule or customer messages to be sealed until the next milestone. So people write things that they like, and I guess in 10 years, you know, this is just something I read somewhere that they could read in the next time they want to celebrate a milestone anniversary. And you're creating a surprise, random in-store rewards or free desserts to your loyal customers or even customers who are coming to your store for the first time. And, you know, the last thing I want to talk about is really, you know, these anniversary celebrations are powerful tools for recognition and reward. Keep it authentic. It's not about big budgets. It's about a heartfelt connection. You got to reach your customers. They got to feel that you care about them, not because you're just throwing out things to get their business. Celebrate not just your brand, but the community that keeps it alive. That's the most important thing that people need to feel. They need to feel that they belong to something great. And the greatness is that your customers are the ones that really create this for you. You know, this is a short one, but thank you again for listening to Retail Checks Thanks so much for tuning into this episode. We sure do appreciate it. If you haven't done so already, make sure you're subscribed to the show wherever you consume podcasts, so we'll get updates as new episodes become available. And if you feel so inclined,